Device for handling coal or other materials.



N0. S82-,665. Patented Septfl7; |90I.

E. H. BBOWNING. DEVICE FDR HANDLING CUAL 0R OTHER MATERIALS.

(Application led Jan. 7, 1901.),

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

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No. 682,665. Patented sept. t7, mot.

E. tt. BnowNmG. DEVICE FOB HANDLINGCOA-L 0R OTHER MATERIALS.

(Application med Jan. 1901.

` 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

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y UNITED STATEs A,PATENT AOFF-ICE.;

t EARL H. BRowNINe, or CLEVELAND, oHIo.

DEVICE FOR lHANDLINGCOAL OR OTHER MATERIALS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 682,665, dated September 17,7, 1901. v

4 Application filed January 7, i901. Serial No. 42,387. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL H. BROWNING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Handling Coal or other Materials, of which the following is a specication My invention relates generally to that class 1o of machines which are employed for unloading vehicles by raisin g' the same bodily and pouring their contents into a pan carrying a chute at its lower end, which conveys it to the boat or other receptacle to be filled. This chute has usually been made of a plurality of telescopic parts which arenested together when the chute is'drawn up to its shortest length, but which are permitted to slide by one another by gravity when thev same isy to be 2o lengthened. My invention 'aims to improve this structure by using a single piece which is open on one side above the bottom of the pan, but which is closed below the latter by a flexible device which varies in length with the desired length ofthe chute.

- In order to enableothers to understand the invention, I shall describe the same by referring to the accompanying drawings, in

- which- 3o Figure 1 shows'a side elevation of my improved device applied to an unloading mechanism, the latter being shown in section and in position for pouring the contents of a car into a vessel. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the chute, only the lower portion ofthe pan appearing. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the chute and the lower portion of the pan, taken on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4L lshows a detached portion ofthe flexible back of the 4o chute looking at the inner side of the same.

Figs. 5 and 6 are a side and an edge elevation, respectively, of one of the large steering-pulleys and the corresponding guide-rod for the chute. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show modiiications of the guides between the steeringpulleysand the chute. Fig. 10 is a detail view showing the pulleys 1l and l2 in section.

4Similar reference-numerals vdesignate corresponding parts in 'all of the several views.

5'0 l represents the ordinary tower for the unloading mechanism, the same being shown in The tower stands upon sectional elevation.

-is pivoted.

the wharf 2 and is strengthened by numerous braces, whichit is not deemed necessary to show. 3 is a vertically-adjustable girder 55 which slides up and down between the front uprights of the tower and to which the panl 4 This girder is suspended in its position by means of cables 5, one at each end, only one being shown, said cables pass- 6o ing upwardly 'over sheaves 6 andv thence to any suitable hoisting device. By this means the girder may be raised or lowered to suit thevheight of the vessel being filled or the height of the coal in the vessel. y The outer end of the pan is held inposition by means of the cable '7,l which passes under the sheave 8, carried by the pan, thence upwardly over a sheave 9 at the top of` the tower, and thence to any suitable hoisting 7o mechanism. By'means of the cables 5pand 7 and their hoisting mechanisms the girder,l pan, and chute may be drawn upwardly into the dotted-line position when the vessel is full, thus bringing them out of the way of the masts and yard-arms as the vessel leaves the dock.

Journaled in hangers near the lower-and forward end of the pan'is a transverse drum 10, which is polygonal in' cross-section for 8c a purpose hereinafter' explained. Loosel'y mounted on the shaft-like 'extensions at the ends of the drums next to thehangers are large steering pulleys or sheaves 11' and smaller pulleys or sheaves 12. All of these pulleys are grooved on their peripheries tol accommodate ropes or cables by means 0f- `which the chute is'swung backward andforward or is raised and lowered, as desired.

The main portion of the chute, which is 9o represented by 13, is of sufficient lengtli tvo,- direct the material which it con ducts into any' desired part of the vessel. Itis open'at both ends and on one or its sides, so that-its crosssection forms three sides of a rectangle.H Its upper end isstrengthened bya correspondingly-shaped iron 14,while the lower end is provided with a rect'angularly-shaped strengthening-iron 16, which forms the lower end of the chute. Secured lat each of its ends to the strengthening-irons are guide bars or rods 17. These bars extend along the inner surfacesv of the steering pulleys or sheaves 1l and pass loosely through blocks 18, connected therewith, so that the chute may be raised and lowered with reference to the pulleys, the bar sliding through the blocks. Each of the steering-pulleys has two or more of these blocks 18 spaced some distance apart, so that when the pulleys are turned the inclination of the 'chute will be varied. The pulleys 11 are mounted loosely on their shafts for a purpose hereinafter described and are turned to steer the chute radially by means of endless cables, ropes, or chains 19, which lie in the grooves in the pulleys and pass from the same to a drum 20 on a hoisting-engine 2l, which is secured to the lower side of the pan 4. Intermediate the pulleys and the drum the two sides of the endless cable cross each other and pass on opposite sides of a guideroller 22, which is journaled in hangers attached to the pan near its lower end. This arrangementcauses the cables to contact with the steering-pulleys throughout the greater part of their peripheries, and thus lessens the tendency of the former to slip. In order to prevent entirely all slipping of the cables, I may secure them to their respective steering-pulleys at one point. This, however, is not absolutely essential, and as it forms no part of my invention I have not deemed it necessary to show the same in the drawings. When the cables 19 are moved by the hoisting-engine 21, the steering-pulley will be turned, which turning results in a change in inclination of the chute 13. The blocks 18, through which pass the guide-rods 17 of the chute, are preferably made of two half-boxes, which are bolted together, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The required length of the chute depends upon the distance from the lower end of the pan 4 to the point of delivery of the material being unloaded. When coal-cars are being dumped, for example, it is desirable that the chute be lowered as much as the successful delivery of the coal will permit in order to prevent the latter from falling too far. Otherwise the coal would be crushed too line, which would entail considerable loss. The chute is raised and lowered by means of a rope, cable, or chain 23, which has each of its ends secured to the strengthening-pieces 14 and 16 of the chute. From the piece 16 the rope passes upwardly over the corresponding pulley 12 and thence rearwardly to a hoisting-drum 24 on the engine 2l. After taking the necessary number of turns about this drum to prevent slipping the rope is passed forwardly to and under the pulley 12 and thence to the strengtheningpiece 14. From this description it will be evident that when the drum 24 is driven in one direction or the other the chute will be correspondingly raised or lowered. The pulleys l2 are keyed or otherwise secured to their shaft, so that when they are turned the drum 10 will also rotate. It will be evident that a chute made in a rigid piece and caused to move up and down in this manner must be open on one side above the pan to permit the material to enter, but must be closed on all sides below the pan in order to convey the material to the desired point. It is therefore necessary to provide an extensible closing means for that side of the chute 13 which is left open, as above described. This means in my preferred form consists of a iexible link belt, a portion of which is shown in Fig. 4. The links of the belt are formed of plates 25, which are hinged together, the adjacent edges being beveled, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Each of the plates 25 has at one of its edges, on the side opposite the bevel, two sets of projecting hinge-pieces 26, and at its opposite edge it is provided with two hingepieces 27, which are adapted to extend between the pieces 26 of the next plate above and to overlap for some distance the lower edge of the latter. Pintle-pins pass through these hinge-pieces, so that the several link plates are joined in a single belt of a length sufficient to close the chute 13 when it isin its lowermost position. This belt is attached at its lower end to the strengthening-iron 16 and is passed upwardly over the polygonal drum 10, the sides of which are made to correspond in width with the sides of the plates 25 between their beveled edges. The diameter of the drum 10 and its location are such that the link belt lies between the open edges of the chute 13, and the width of the belt being substantially equal to that of the open side of the chute the latter is completely closed from the drum 1() down. The belt extends a short distance beyond the drum and is there secured to the ends of the chains, ropes, or cables 28, which pass rearwardly along the lower surface of the pan to and about an idler-roller 29, which is carried by the latter, and thence back to the drum 10, to which its end is secured. The druml is turned down to a smaller diameter at 100, and the chain winds and unwinds upon this part.

As has been stated, the steering-pulleys 11 are mounted loosely on their shafts, while the pulleys 12 are secured thereto. (See Fig. 10.) This enables the former to be turned to steer the chute without raising or lowering the same and also permits the rotation of the pulleys 12, and with them the roller 10, when the chute is raised or lowered without changing the inclination of the latter.

Instead of having the two half-boxes 18, through which the guide-rods 17 extend, I may employ various modified devices, three of which are illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. In Fig. 7 I have shown angle-plates 30, which are secured to the pulleys 11 and which overlap the edges of T-irons 31, which are secured to the sides of the chute 13. This affords a sliding connection between the angleplates and the T-irons. In Fig. 8 the angleplates 32 extend alongside the chute 13 and overlap the head of T-irons 33, which are carried by the pulleys 11. In Fig. 9 the pulleys 1l carry pieces 34, which hook around the IoO IOS

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distance over the edge of the adjacent plate j 25 the link belt is made rigidk in one direction, so that it is able to withstand the outward pressure of the coal in the chute and at the same time is able to bend over the polygonal drum 10 when the chute is raised or lowered.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the character described, an adjustably-supported chute having one of its sides normally open, and an extensible closing device for that portion of the open side of the chute which is below the support.

2. In a device of thecharacter described, a chute adjustably supported intermediate its length, and having one of its sides normally open, and an extensible and tlexible belt for closing that portion ofthe open side of the chute which is below the support.

3. In a device of the character described, a pan, a chute adjustably supported by said pan, and having one of its sides normally open, and a link belt for maintaining closed that portion of the chute which is below the support.

4. In a device of the character described, a pan, a chute supported by said pan and having one side normally open, means for vertically and angnlarly adjusting the chute, and means for maintai-ning closed that portion of the open side of the chute which is below the pan irrespective of the adjustment of the same.

5. In a device of the character described, a pan, a drum and chute supported from the pan, said chute having one side normally open, and a iiexible belt passing over the drum and secured to the lower part of the chute to close the lower partof the open side of the same.

6. In a device of the character described, a chute having one of its sides formed of a flexible link belt for the purpose specified.

7. In a device of the character described, an open-sided chute, a drum from which said chute is adjustably supported, and a plurality of plates hinged together to form a link belt, one end of said belt being secured to the bottom of the chute and the other passing over the drum, whereby the intermediate portion of the open side of the chute is closed.

8. In a device of the character described, a pan, steering devices rotatably mounted on said pan, a chute engaging with the steering devices and means for rotating said devices to change the inclination of the chute.

9. In a device of the character described a pan, steering-pulleys rotatably mounted on the pan, a chute supported by the pan and 'having sliding connection with the steeringpulleys, and means for turning the "pulleys to change the inclination of the chute.

10. In a device of the character described, apan, a drum and chute supported by the pan, steering-pulleys mounted loosely on the drum and engaging with the chute, means to turn said pulleys to vary the inclination of kthe chute, other pulleys also mounted on the drum, and cables passing over said other pulleys and secured to the chute to raise and lower the same.

Il. In a device of the character described, a pan, a chute carried by said pan, a hoistingengine and means connecting the hoistingengine with the chute .whereby the latter is raised or lowered, or its inclination is varied as desired.

12. I n a device of the character described, `a pan, a drum and a vertically-adjustable chute carried by the pan, said chute having one Side normally open, an idler-roller also carried by said pan, a belt passing over the drum and secured at one end to the chute, chains or ropes secured to the other end of the belt and passing` over the idlerroller and thence back to the drum, whereby when the chute is elevated the belt will be drawn over the drum to keep the lower portion of the open side of the chtite closed.

13. In a device of the character described, an open-sided chute, a series of beveled. plates forming a belt for closing the same, pairs of hinge-pieces extending from one of the edges of the plates and a corresponding number of single hinge-pieces extending from the opposite ed ges thereof, the latter hinge-pieces overlapping for some distance the edge of the adjacent plate so as to make the belt iiexible in one direction, but inflexible in the opposite direction.

14. In a device of the character described, a pan, steering-pulleys carried by the pan, pulleys 12 adjacent the steering-pulleys, a chute having sliding connection withthe steeringpulleys, cables passing over pulleys 12 and supporting the chute, and means for turning thesteering-pulleys to change the inclination of the chute. 15. In a device of the character described, an adjustable chute, means for guiding the same while being adjusted, a hoisting device and a cable attached at its ends to the ends of the chute and passing about the hoisting device whereby the chute may be adjusted as desired.

16. In a device of the character described,

IOS

an adjustable chute, means for guiding the a Chute also supported bythe pan, means for open side of the chute and passing' over the raising and loweringr the chute, bars on the drum, and means for turning the drum to take chute, slide boxes on the steeringpulleys up the slack in the belt as the chute is raised.

5 through which J[he bars pass, and means for In testimony whereof I afx my signature I5 turning the steering-pulleys. in the presence of two Witnesses.

apan, steering-pulleys supported by the pan, a link belt closing' the lower portion of the 18. In a device of the character described7 l EARL H. BROXVNING.

an adjustable and normally open-sided chute, 'Vitnesses: means for guiding the same while being ad- C. REED GREGG, 1o justed, a polygonal drum adjacent the chute, JULIA A. BROWNING. 

